Meaning of Numbers in the Bible
8 (Eight) - Part 1 of 2

Meaning of Numbers in the Bible
8 (Eight)

It is 7 plus 1. Hence it is the number specially associated with Resurrection and Regeneration, and the beginning of a new era or order.

When the whole earth was covered with the flood, it was Noah "the eighth person" (2 Peter 2:5) who stepped out on to a new earth to commence a new order of things. "Eight souls" (1 Peter 3:20) passed through it with him to the new or regenerated world.

Hence, too, circumcision was to be performed on the eighth day (Genesis 17:12), because it was the foreshadowing of the true circumcision of the heart, that which was to be "made without hands," even "the putting off of the body of the sins of the flesh by the circumcision of Christ" (Colossians 2:11). This is connected with the new creation.

The first-born was to be given to Jehovah on the eighth day (Exodus 22:29,30). But

RESURRECTION

is the great truth which is signified. Christ rose from the dead on "the first day of the week," that was of necessity the eighth day. And it is remarkable that the Bible contains the record of

Eight individual Resurrections
(other than the Lord and the saints):

3 in the Old Testament
3 in the Gospels
2 in Acts 9 and 20

The three in the Old Testament correspond to the three raised by our Lord.

1. The son of a widow—
   Zarepta (1 Kings 17:17-25) and
   Nain (Luke 7:11-18).

2. The child of a rich person—
   Son of the woman of Shunem (2 Kings 4:32-37),
   The daughter of Jarius (Mark 5:35; Luke 8:49).

3. A full grown man...after burial—
   In Elisha's tomb (2 Kings 13:20,21),
   Lazarus (John 11).

THE FEAST OF TABERNACLES

lasted eight days, with a special reference to the Incarnation (John 1:14).

THE TRANSFIGURATION

also took place on the eighth day (inclusive reckoning) after the first announcement of Christ's "sufferings," and it was the showing forth of the "glory" which should follow at His coming again.

THE FIRST CUBE

Eight is the first cubic number, the cube of two, 2 x 2 x 2. We have seen that three is the symbol of the first plane figure, and that four is the first square. So here, in the first cube, we see something of transcendent perfection indicated, something, the length and breadth and height of which are equal. This significance of the cube is seen in the fact that the "Holy of Holies," both in the Tabernacle and in the Temple, were cubes. In the Tabernacle it was a cube of 10 cubits. In the Temple it was a cube of 20 cubits. In Revelation 20 the New Jerusalem is to be a cube of 12,000 furlongs. Dr. Milo Mahan is inclined to believe that the Ark of Noah, too, had a kind of sacred Shechinah in "the window finished in a cubit above"—a cube of one. If so, we have the series of cubes:—

* This 1728, too, is a remarkable number, viz., 8² x 3³.

Eight SONGS IN THE OLD TESTAMENT

outside the Psalms:

1. Redemption, Exodus 15.
2. Supply and maintenance, Numbers 21:17.
3. Moses witnessing to the grace of God and the unfaithfulness of man, Deuteronomy 32.
4. Victory over oppression, Judges 5.
5. David, God's elect, delivered from all his foes, 2 Samuel 22.
6. The Song of Songs.
7. The song of the well-beloved touching Israel, God's vineyard, Isaiah 5.
8. This (the eighth) waits to be sung on resurrection ground (Isaiah 26), for it does not come till after "death is swallowed up in victory," 25:8.

THE MIRACLES OF ELIJAH

were eight in number, marking the Divine character of his mission:

1. The shutting up of heaven, 1 Kings 17:1; James 5:17; Luke 4:25.
2. Multiplying the widow's meal, 2 Kings 17:14-16.
3. Raising the widow's son, verses 17-23.
4. Causing fire to come down from heaven, 1 Kings 18:37, 38.
5. Causing rain to come down from heaven, verses 41-45.
6. Causing fire to come down from heaven, 2 Kings 1:10.
7. The same, verse 12.
8. Dividing the Jordan, 2 Kings 2:8.

THE MIRACLES OF ELISHA

were double in number, viz. Sixteen, for his request was, "Let a double portion of thy spirit be upon me," 2 Kings 2:9:

1. Dividing the Jordan, 2 Kings 2:14.
2. Healing the waters, verse 21.
3. Cursing the young men,* verse 24.
4. Procuring water for the three kings, 2 Kings 3:16-20.
5. Multiplying the widow's oil, 2 Kings 4:1-7.
6. Raising the widow's son, 4:37.
7. Healing the deadly pottage, verse 38.
8. Feeding the Hundred men, verses 42-44.
9. The healing of Naaman, 2 Kings 5:1-19.
10. The smiting of Gehazi, verses 20-27.
11. Causing the iron to swim, 2 Kings 6:1-7.
12. Opening the eyes of his servant, verse 17.
13. Smiting the Syrian army with blindness, verse 18.
14. Restoring their sight, verse 20.
15. Arresting the king's messenger, verses 30-33.
16. A dead man raised by touching his bones, 2 Kings 13:20, 21.

* The word is used of Isaac, aged 28; Joseph when 39; Rehoboam when 40; Shadrach and his companions in Babylon.

The use and significance of the number eight in Scripture is seen to recur in marvelous exactitude. It may indeed be said that

Eight IS THE DOMINICAL NUMBER,

for everywhere it has to do with the LORD. It is the number of His name, IHSOUS, Jesus:—

It is the number stamped upon the Old Testament, the numbers of its books in all the MSS being 24 (3x8).

In the book which relates to His great Apocalypse or Revelation, there are in the introduction which sets forth the glory of the Lord, to be revealed in the day of the Lord, eight references to the Old Testament on which the claims of His Lordship are based.

THE Eight REFERENCES TO THE OLD TESTAMENT IN REVELATION 1

It will be noted, moreover, that these are not given at haphazard. Our attention is called to their importance by the order in which they are given. They are arranged in the form of an epanodos, the first being from the same book as the eighth, the second corresponding in the same way to the seventh, the third to the sixth, and the fourth to the fifth. Thus the Divine seal of superabundant perfection is there set on the Scriptures which declare the Lordship of Jesus:

A. 5. Isaiah 55:4.

B. 7-. Daniel 7:13.

C. -7. Zechariah 12:10.

D. 8. Isaiah 41:4, 44:6, 48:12.

D. 11. Isaiah 41:4, 44:6; 48:12.

C. 12. Zechariah 4:2.

B. 13-15. Daniel 7:9, 13, 22, 10:5, 6.

A. -16-. Isaiah 49:2.

OTHER DOMINICAL NAMES OF JESUS

are also marked by gematria and stamped with the number eight as a factor:

• CristoV, Christ, 1480 (8x185).
• KurioV, Lord, 800 (8x100).
• KurioV hmwn, Our Lord, 1768 (8x221).
• Swthr, Saviour, 1408 (8²x 32).
• 'Emmanouhl, Emmanuel, 25600, (8³x50).
• Messias, Messiah, 656 (8x82).
• UioV, Son, 880 (8x110).

We ought also to note that the other factors, beside the prevailing eight, are full of significance.

All this speaks to us, if we have "ears to hear," that "God hath glorified His Son Jesus" (Acts 3:13), and "hath made that same Jesus...both Lord and Christ" (Acts 2:36).

But here we must consider the two numbers

THE JUDAH and ISRAEL LINES OF KINGS

are stamped in a remarkable manner with these numbers.

There are two periods specially marked with regard to Israel.

The number 65 is associated with the separate existence of the Ten Tribes in Isaiah 7:8, "Within threescore and five years shall Ephraim be broken, that it be not a people." From that time, that is to say, from the last year of Jeroboam II to the carrying away of Israel was exactly 65 years, or 5 times 13, which characterised the disintegration which was going on in the nation.

But, more than this, the number 390 was also stamped upon Israel as being the whole duration of the separate existence of the Ten Tribes from the day they rebelled against Rehoboam to the day they were led away captive. This we see from Ezekiel 4:4, 5, where the command was given to Ezekiel, "Lie thou upon thy left side, and lay the iniquity of the house of Israel upon it; according to the number of the days that thou shalt be upon it, thou shalt bear their iniquity. For I have laid upon thee the years of their iniquity according to the number of the days, three Hundred and ninety days; so shalt thou bear the iniquity of the house of Israel."

Now 390 is thirteen times Thirty,* and the duration of Israel's rebellion is sufficiently and appropriately branded upon it.

* Commentators entirely miss the point when they say that 390 = 10x39, instead of 13x30!

On the other hand, when we turn to Judah we see the number 8 pervading it. For the same prophet, in the next verse, is commanded to lie on his right side Forty days to bear the iniquity of the house of Judah--each day for a year. We ought to note in passing that the name of Ezekiel, who foretells the duration and end of this apostasy, is 156 (13x12); while the words of the prophecy, Ezekiel 4:1-6, amount to 36673 (13²x7x31), and the whole passage, 4:1-8, to 43069 (13x3313).

The fulfillment ought also to be noted. The 390 years were to signify not only the years of apostasy, but were also to signify the 390 days of the siege of Jerusalem; viz., 13 months (30x13). The siege commenced on the 10th day of the 10th month of the 9th year of Zedekiah (2 Kings 25:1-4), and it was taken on the 9th day of the 4th month of the 11th year of the same king. This gives a period of 18 months. But the siege was raised for about 5 months (see Jeremiah 37), while Nebuchadnezzar's army was withdrawn for fear of Pharaoh, king of Egypt, who had come up to meet him.

Thus we have the two numbers stamped by the history; upon Judah 8, and upon Israel 13.

Now look at

THE LIST OF JUDAH'S KINGS[1]

1. The spelling, which sometimes varies, is taken according to the first occurrence of the name.

2. In the 39th (3x13) year of his reign he forsook the LORD (2Chronicles 16:12).

3. Amaziah = 146 or 152 according to the spelling. If 146, then the total will be 4394 (13²x2). But if we add Saul 337, David 14, and Solomon 375, it is 5120 (8³x10).

4. He had reigned 52 (4x13) years when he apostatized (2Chronicles 26:3,21).

THE ISRAELITE KINGS

THE LEADERS WHO RETURNED FROM BABYLON (Ezra 2:2)

* In the Hebrew Text rpsm, Mizpar is repeated again after Baanah. If we count this in, then the total, instead of 3008, will be 3388, which though not a multiple of 8 is very significant.

Other chiefs mentioned in other connections are--

It is difficult to observe a strict order in the presentation of these phenomena, because the results are best shown by direct contrast. For example, if we take out the names of the adversaries who came in direct opposition to the Lord, the law will be more clearly seen.

THE ADVERSARIES OF EZRA (4:7-9)

These Companions (Ezra 4:9) are the--

Together they all make 6578 (13x506).

The men who took strange wives (Ezra 10:17-44) were in number 113. The gematria of their names is 38194 (13²x226).

THE ADVERSARIES OF NEHEMIAH

as mentioned and named in 2:19, 4:7, and 13:4:

With this we may note the 6-fold nature of their opposition as shown in our discussion on the number six.

DANIEL and HIS COMPANIONS

But their Chaldean names, given by Nebuchadnezzar, make a number of no significance whatever.

THE ENEMIES OF GOD and HIS PEOPLE

as named in Scripture are generally multiples of thirteen.

Let us begin with the great enemy himself, always remembering that though we may give the English for the sake of clearness, the gematria always refers to the original Hebrew or Greek:

• Satan, in Hebrew = 364 (13x28)
• Satan, in Greek = 2197 (13³)
• "That old serpent, even Satan" (o ofiV o arcaioV...kai o SatanaV) = 2756 (13x212)
• "Ha-Seraph" (Numbers 21:8) = 585 (13x45)
• Beelzebub (with art.) = 598 (13x46)
• Belial - 78 (13x6)
• Drakwn (Drakon), Dragon (Revelation 12:9) = 975 (13x75)
• 'OfiV (Ophis), Serpent = 780 (13x60)
• Murderer = 1820 (13x140)
• Tempter = 1053 (13x81)
• The Scape-goat = 585 (13x45)
• The Lion (Psalm 91:13) = 338 (13x26)
• "As a Lion" (1 Peter 5:8) = 1885 (13x145)
• "The Power of the Enemy" (Luke 10:9) = 2509 (13x193)
• "Your adversary, the Devil, as a roaring lion" = 6032 (13x464)
• Fowler (Psalm 91:3) = 416 (13x32)
• "Who is called the Devil and Satan" (o kaloumenoV diaboloV kai o SatanaV) = 2197 (13³)
• "Seven Devils" = 572 (13x44)
• "Because the Prince of this world is judged" (John 16:11) = 5577 (13²x33)
• "When he speaketh a lie he speaketh of his own, for he is a liar" (John 8:44) = 7072 (13x544)

Genesis 3

where the Devil is first mentioned and revealed. The opening words:

• "The Serpent was more subtle than all the beasts of the field" = 1521 (13²x9)
• The history of the Temptation, vv 1-7 = 24011 (13x1847)
• The second section (vv 8-11) = 49478 (13²x1903)
• The third section (vv 22-24), which records the expulsion from Eden = 10894 (13x838)
• The whole chapter = 84383 (13x6491)
• Eve's confession (v 13) = 3692 (13x284)
• Verse 8, which describes the act of the LORD God, is, on the contrary, 4064 (8x508)
• Verse 21, which records the Divinely prepared clothing in grace = 2856 (7x8x51)
• Verse 15, which we might expect to find significant, being the great primeval prophetic promise, is 4266 (3³x158); where we have the 42, the 66, of Antichrist, and the 9 of judgment.
• Verse 16, containing the hope of the promised seed, added to v 15 = 8512 (8000+8³)

Isaiah 27:1

• "The piercing Serpent, even Leviathan" = 1170 (13x90)
• "That crooked Serpent" = 1014 (13²x6)
• "The Dragon that is in the sea" = 1469 (13x113)

Isaiah 14:29

• " Rejoice not thou, whole Palestina, because the rod of him that smote thee is broken: for out of the serpent's root shall come forth a cockatrice (marg. adder), and his fruit shall be a fiery flying serpent" = 5369 (13x413)

Psalm 75:15

• "Thou smotest the heads of Leviathan in pieces, and gavest him for meat for the people in the wilderness" = 3510 (13x270; or 13x6x45; or 13x3³x10)

• The whole verse = 12090 (13x930)
• The locusts = 351 (13x3³)
• "They have a king, the angel of the abyss" = 3978 (13x306)

Ephesians 2:2

• "According to the course of this world, according to the prince of the power of the air" = 9178* (13x706)
• "The power of the air" = 2600 (13x200)

* Ninety-one Hundred being 13x700; and 78 being 13x6.

• "Lightning from heaven" = 2626 (13x202)
• "And He said, I beheld Satan as lightning fall from heaven" = 6903 (13x531)

Ephesians 6:12

• "But against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places" = 16211 (13x1247)

Matthew 16:23

• "An offence unto me" (skandalon mou) = 936 (13x72)

THE HUMAN ADVERSARIES

present the same peculiar phenomena:

• Asshur = 169 (13²)*
• "The man of sin" = 13062 (13³x6)
• "The man who took not God for his strength" = 2197 (13³)**

* Nimrod exhibits a number connected with Antichrist, being 294, or 7x42.

** The whole of Psalm 52 = 19572 (42x466).

THE BOOK OF ESTHER

reveals the same law in operation. Having diligently cast the horoscope (as Pur, rw@p means: see Isaiah 47:13), Haman found the most favourable time for carrying out his designs as "the Jews' enemy."*

* A term applied to none but Haman. See Esth 3:10, 7:6, 8:1, 9:10,14.

Esther 3:7 tells us that for 12 months the horoscope was consulted "in the first of the month...from day to day, and from month to month, to the twelfth month." Then (v 12) on the thirteenth day of the first month (i.e., the thirteenth month from the time they commenced) the favourable day was found. Then (3:13) the letters were prepared, and upon "one day, even upon the thirteenth day of the twelfth month" (at the end of the second year), the Jews were all to be put to death. On that day came the deliverance (8:12, etc.). Thus we have three thirteens connected with this gigantic effort of the great enemy to destroy the Lord's people, and with them, of course, the promised seed. This is the ultimate object of the great enemy in all his designs against God's people.

On the other hand, we see the multiples of the dominical eight in the Lord's people:

On the other hand we have:

• Bigthan 455 (13x35)
• Haman the Agagite 117 (13x9)
• Zeresh (his wife) 507 (13x13x3)

Haman's sons present a curious phenomenon. In every Hebrew manuscript these names are presented thus (9:7-9):

This peculiarity has been preserved not only in all the manuscripts, but in every printed edition of the Hebrew Text. No scribe or editor has ventured to change this form of their presentation.

Various conjectures have been made both by the ancient Jewish and modern commentators as to the reason why these names are always presented thus; but no one seems to have looked upon the names as an addition sum (regarding of course each letter as a figure). Treated thus the sum of the names amounts to 10244 or 13x788.

The whole family is 10868 or 13x836.